Queen of the Spiders
GDQ1-7: Queen of the Spiders is a 1st Edition AD&D adventure for a group of adventurers between levels 8 and 14, averaging level 10. GDQ1-7 is a 'Supermodel', compiling 7 other modules (G1: Steading of the Hill Giant Chief, G2: The Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl, and G3: Hall of the Fire Giant King, later compiled into G1-2-3: Against the Giants. D1: Descent into the Depths of the Earth, D2: Shrine of the Kuo-toa, and D3: Vault of the Drow, with D1 and D2 later compiled into D1-2: Descent into the Depths of the Earth. The final module is Q1: Queen of the Demonweb Pits, the only module in it's series code.) All but Q1: Queen of the Demonwebs were written by Gary Gygax, with Q1 being written by David C. Sutherland III based on notes from Gygax. Designed to follow on from the 'TAGDQ' super series, the supermodel has additional content and changes added by Dave Cook and Jeff Grubb, to help it follow on from T1-4: The Temple of Elemental Evil, and A1-4: Scourge of the Slave Lords. The module also expects the players to have access to the Unearthed Arcana, Monster Manual II and Fiend Folio. Blurb "She sits at the center of her Web, a dark force of intense evil power. Her strands reach across Oerth, through the Crystalmist mountains, across the embattled human kingdoms, and even reaching the councils of Pomarj and beyond. '' ''The adventure began in the Temple of Elemental Evil, and continued with Scourge of the Slavelords. It now comes to a climax as the dark forces begin to move against all mankind. '' ''This product contains revised material that originally appeared in modules G1 (Steading of the Hill Giant Chief), G2 (Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl), G3 (Hall of the Fire Giant King), D1 (Descent into the Depths of the Earth), D2 (Shrine of the Kuo-Toa), D3 (Vault of the Drow), and Q1 (Queen of the Demonweb Pits). New material for further adventures is also included. '' ''You can use this adventure alone, or as the conclusion of the series." Index Art * George Barr: Big Johann and Smokey (p.17), Into the Mountains (p.19), Great Hall(p.26), Brazzemal (p.48), Giant Bat and Fire Beetles (p.53), Drow Merchant and Illithid (p.56), Griffins (p.61), Denizens of Erelhei-cinlu (p.84), Lolth in Amber(p.92), Mirror of Opposition (p.106), Caer Sidi (p.111), * Erol Otus: Wyverns (p.86, First seen in D1-2: Descent into the Depths of the Earth p.11), Drow and Demons (p.93, First seen in Queen of the Demonweb Pits p.1), Lolth (p.94 and again in the Maps booklet, First seen in Queen of the Demonweb Pits p.32), Yochlol(p.114-115, Frist seen in Queen of the Demonweb Pits p.30 (Likely Otus)), * Jeff Dee: Kingdom of Maldev(p.100-101, First seen in Queen of the Demonweb Pits p.17), * David A. Trampier: Fire Giant.(p.11, First seen in Hall of the Fire Giant King, maps booklet), Adventurers on Hippogriffs(p.34-35, First seen on the back cover of Hall of the Fire Giant King), Bugbears (p.78, First Seen in D1: Descent into the Depths of the Earth p 10), Mindflayer (p.82, First Seen in D1: Descent into the Depths of the Earth p.7), * Bill Willingham: Four Drow (p.9, First seen in D1-2: Descent into the Depths of the Earth p.1), Kennel Cave (p.30, First seen in Against the Giants, p.15), Troll (p.49, First seen in D1-2: Descent into the Depths of the Earth p.12), Characters * Nosnra, Chief of the Hill Giants and his cave bear Throatripper. (p.20,22) * Eclavdra, drow priestess of the elemental eye and ruler of House Eilserv(p.21,44,87) * Obmi, dwarven advisor to King Snurre.(p.39) * Snurre/Snurri Iron Belly, King of the Fire Giants.(p.15) * Grugnur/Grugnir, Jarl of the Frost Giants (p.33) ---- Minor Characters: * Inhabitants of the Glacial Rift: Amgroth, Lady wife of Jarl Grugnur, and her winter wolves Bez and Rebez.(p.33) Olgani, storm giantess, all are unnamed in original. (p.19,32) * Mad Amos, ex captain of the Guard from of the Yeomanry. (p.19) * Inhabitants of the Fire Giant Hall: Brazzemal, ancient red dragon (p.45), Frupy, Queen of the Fire giants, and her Giant weasels Redant and Rogue(p.36), Prisoners: Boldo, Fire Giant and ex Chief Lieutenant(p.42). Androcor, human merchant, Gareth, female human thief and potential follower, Kendar, Titan, Sedgar and Chaunsleaf, centaur, Shallaria, elven noble now implied to be a princess, all unnamed in original.(p.42). * House Aleval: Jeggred, male drow warrior(p.55) * House Despana: Akordia, female noble and cleric(p.55), Nedylene, female noble and cleric(p.47), Merinid, Male bailiff of the vault(p.77), * House Eilserv: Amalica, male drow cleric(p.44), Calimar, Male drow fighter(p.45), Viconia, female warrior(p.48,87), Orgoloth, male drow cleric of House Eilserv but helps Nedylene of House Despana, unnamed in original and not helping Nedylene.(p.44,85), Divolg, male Bailiff of the vault(p.76), Lyme, male consort to Eclavdra(p.87), * House of Noquar: Unnamed female captain(p.57), Derinnil, female noble fighter(p.68-69,85) * House Tormtor: Bruherd, Male drow noble(p.47,85), Istorvir, Male drow fighter(p.40) * Servants of Lolth: Vlondril, female cleric(p.55,91), Jyslin, female gate commander of the Noble Gate(p.81), Baltana, High priestess(p.88), Charinidia, High Priestess(p.90,92), Inidil, priestess(p.91), Lama,priestess(p.91), Pellanistra, commander of the guard(p.92), * Fighting Society, Female: Telenna, general, Drisinil, lieutenant general.(p.79), * Fighting Society, Male: Istoli, general, Relonor, commander captain secretly allied with Tormtor(p.80), Wode, Gatekeeper and ally of Eilserv(p.81) * Inhabitants of the Demonweb and connected worlds: Trose, a cleric of Istivin lost to Lolth's device and later encounted in the web(p.15,102), Micarlin, Zebeyana, Molvayas, Erelda, Lesaonar all drow and all female cleric/fighters except Lesaonar who is a male fighter/magic user(p.103), Ardulace and Antalab, Minolin and Riklaunim, Lirdnolu and Adinirahc, female drow cleric/fighters and their male drow fighter/magic user consorts (p.105). Duke Alfric and his consort Meriven, pharisee elves of Caer Sidi(p.107), Vlad Tolenkov, Vampire of the Night World(p.110), Trinax, cleric imprisoned by Lolth(p.111), * Inhabitants of Sterich: Argorthas the Seer/Sage, of Istivin.(p.9,14-15), Lashton, wizard, and Randos, Cleric, agents of King Skotti(p.14-15) Querchard, Earl of Sterich(p.10), Kimbertos Skotti, King of Keoland(p.12). Big Johann, a frost giant, and Smokey his mastadon, and Albere his human lacky.(p.13-14), Garoof, Fire Giant reporting back to King Snurre (p.12). * Inhabitant of the Steading: Argratin, Bugbear captain of the Steading(p.24), Mongo, dwarven prisoner and possible follower, Oaklock Gilderleaf, elven prisoner and possible follower, unnamed in original module(p.23-24), Solka, wife of Nosnra and her cave bear Snookums, both unnamed in original module.(p.21-22) * Inhabitants of the underdark: Asberdies the Lich (p.58), Grubblik Chief of the Bugbears, Bruzblid son of Grubblik, Ruddug second in command(p.60), Thoobship, Kuo-toan bargemaster, and Koronnah, his giant gar(p.62). Trosli Garnetgetter, Svirfnebli fighter(p.62-63), Va-Guulgh, Kuo-toan Priest Prince(p.64-65), Ratenef, human paladin and prisoner of the Kuo-toa (p.65), Quolp-ool, Kuo-toan chief whip(p.68), Silussa the succubus and Belgos the drow vampire, and their 'peti. Olaf Wodehopper a svirfneblin(p.70-71), Kreffok, bugbear hetman of the Vault bugbears(p.75), Ttirssslup, troglodyte chieftain in the Vault(p.75), Greyanna, female drow warrior mercenary (p.47), Nilonim, male drow rebel who " has a slight but terrible tendency towards good deed"(p.90) * Ogier, Thane of the Stone giants of 'Oberulsprulheim' or the Crystalmist Mountains. His inclusion and pacifism may be an attempt to explain the seemingly missing Stone Giant themed adventure in the G series. (p.14) * Vengeful Slavers Group: Turrock, Marbreau, Karmik, Alfonce and Gaston along with three unnamed bowmen.(p.8) Optional: Stalman Klim, a human slave lord, or Edralve, a drow slave lord, from the A Series and Scourge of the Slave Lords. (p.8, mentioned) ---- Creatures Events Queen of the Spiders has epilogues depending on three different endings(p.121): * Ending A: The characters perish in the Demonweb Pits. Lolth finishes connecting her abyssal plane to Oerth and invades through Istivin, the dark sphere enveloping it beginning to spread. This continues until either a new group of player character's kill Lolth, or until 2 years pass and an alliance of chaotic and lawful forces band together to forcibly break the connection. Lolth remains unharmed and Sterich is a wasteland. * Ending B: The characters defeat Lolth, but she escapes through one of her mirrors. Lolth escapes the player, but her plane, and thus her portals to other worlds collapse. Lolth continues to harass the player characters but ineffectively. * Ending C: Lolth is slain on her home plane. Lolth is slain, but will eventually return as a demi or lesser goddess. Her invasion of other worlds is stopped. Eilservs and worship of the Elder Elemental Eye take over the Vault but are weakened in the process. Sterich and Istivin are saved, but Lashton the mage takes credit. None of these events are considered canon- Lolth's worshippers remain in power in the Vault but Istivin is saved. Items Items in bold are 'new' items, the originally appeared in their respective modules. * Ring of Antivenom(p.124, First appears in D3: Vault of the Drow) * Rod of Tentacles(p.124, First appears in G3: Hall of the Fire Giant King) * Demon Staff(p.124, First appears in G3: Hall of the Fire Giant King) * Spider Wand(p.124, , First appears in D3: Vault of the Drow) * Wand of Viscid Globs(p.124, First appears in G3: Hall of the Fire Giant King) * Lurker Cloak(p.124, First appears in D1: Descent into the Depths of the Earth) * Fire Elemental Gem(p.124, First appears in D3: Vault of the Drow) * Bolts of Power(p.124, , First appears in G3: Hall of the Fire Giant King but with no collective name for the darts) * Death Lance(p.124, First appears in D1: Descent into the Depths of the Earth) Locations * Crystalmist Mountains (p.3-4, 10, 15, 18) ** Davish River (p.18) * Hellfurnaces (p.3-4, 18, 125-126) * Hommlet (p.5) * Jotens (p.12, 15-19) * Keoland (p.9-12,14-15, 121) ** Silverwood (p.16) ** Good Hills (p.17) * Pomarj (p.3-4, 9-10, 16) * Sterich (p.3-5,9-18,107,112,121) ** Istivin (p.9-10,12-14,94,112,121) ** Javan and the Javan River (p.9-12) * Ulek (All: Principality, Duchy, County) (p.16-17) * Underearth (Not yet called the Underdark): ** Dra-Mur-Shou, city of the Illithids (p.126) ** Erelhei-Cinlu (p.3-4,73,81-83,88,90) ** Svartjet/Svart-jet River (p.62,88,125) ** Sunless Sea (p.88) ** Pitchy Flow (p.65,73-74,81,84,88,125) * Yeomanry (p.4,18-19,33) * Other Planes: ** Demonweb Pits (p.3, 100, 121, 126) ** Kingdom of Caer Sidi (p.107) ** The Frozen Lands(p.109) ** The Great Ocean(p.109) ** The Black Fen (p.109) ** The Labyrinth of Arachne (p.109-110) ** Maldev (p.110) ** The Nightworld of Vlad Tolenkov (p.110-111) ** Lolth's Prison (p.111) ** Spider Ship of Lolth (p.112) Organisations * Worship of Sekolah, shark god of the Sahaugin(p.61) * Worship of Lolth, Demon Queen of Spiders.(p.3-4,15,55,71,73,79,81-83,85,87-91, Chapter 13) * Worship of the Elder Elemental Eye.(p.4,43,87-88,121,125) * Worship of the Sea Mother, Blipdoolpoolp (occasionally spelt Blibdoolpoolp) (p.53, 64, 66, 68, 125) Appendix Differences between GDQ1-7 and original Modules: There are not many differences between the original modules and the sections that cover them in the GDQ1-7 compilation. Names occasionally have a different spelling and some unnamed characters, like the wives of the giants, are given names. GDQ1-7 also gives set locations to the modules that prior to the World of Greyhawk Boxed Set were more generically set with only the Ulsprue mountains being mentioned. The Compilation does include extra material including various possible introductions into the story, Istivin being far more involved,and also gives additional ideas for Underearth locations. Trivia: * The cover of this module, done by Keith Parkinson, was also used for Pools of Darkness, but cropped and censored. External Links: * Articles: RPGGeek, RPG Index, Acaeum, TSR Archive, Greyhawk Online Wiki Category:Modules Category:1e AD&D Modules Category:G Series Category:D Series Category:TAGDQ Series